Main Difference – Poll vs Survey

Polls and surveys are two methods of obtaining data from people. Although both poll and survey help people to gather quantitative data easily, there is a difference between poll and survey, especially in their format, and time taken to respond. A poll allows you to ask one single multiple choice questions from your respondents.  A survey is a form with different kinds of questions. This is the main difference between poll and survey.

This article explains,

1. What is a Poll? – Structure, Purpose, Advantage

2. What is a Survey? – Structure, Purpose, Advantage

3. What is the Difference Between Poll and Survey?

What is a Poll

A poll allows you to ask one multiple choice question. This is an easy way to gather data about only one thing. Polls are usually very popular on social media sites and other websites. You might have noticed a little block saying “Did you find this article useful?”, or “Did you find everything you were looking for today?” at the bottom of some websites. This is an example of a poll.

The respondents of a poll can only one option, although some polls may allow selecting multiple options. It is an anonymous feedback since the respondents’ personal or sensitive information are not taken. The main advantage of a poll is its’ quickness. It only takes a few seconds to select and click on an answer. Thus, the information is retrieved within seconds. Since polls have only one question, there is no need to analyze the data. You can use polls when you want to get a general idea about the opinion of people. For example, if you want to know if your readers are satisfied with an article or a blog post, you can use the question, “Was this information helpful?” and create a poll. This way, you can get a general idea about the usefulness of the article. However, you can’t get a detailed review, i.e, which information is useful, which part needs improving, what should be added, etc. from a poll. 

What is a Survey

A survey is a form consisting of multiple questions.  Surveys allow you to ask different types of questions including multiple choice questions, short answers, ratings, etc. A survey questionnaire can gather facts and opinions on different topics. The respondents may also be asked to include their personal information such as age, occupation or name.

A survey is usually longer than a poll and consists of at least few questions. Therefore, it takes a longer time to fill and require more commitment from the respondents. It will also take more time to gather responses and analyze the data. The researcher has to put together information from all the questions to formulate a comprehensive conclusion. A survey can collect quantitative and statistical data that will help you to obtain detailed feedback and predict future trends. For example, if you want to know whether the event you organized was a success, you can ask the attendees to fill a survey. This will help you to obtain detailed feedback about the attendees’ views on the event. Given below is an example of such a survey form. 

Difference Between Poll and Survey

Number of Questions

Polls consist of only one question.

Surveys contain more than one question.

Type of Question

Polls contain a multiple choice question.

Surveys contain different type of questions.

Time Taken to Respond

Polls can be filled within seconds.

Surveys may take few minutes or more.

Location

Polls are mostly used in the digital world.

Surveys are used online as well as in the real world.

Data

Polls provide limited data.

Survey provide more information.

Personal Information

Polls do not ask for personal or sensitive information.

Surveys may ask for personal or sensitive information.

Purpose

Polls are used to get a general idea about the opinion of people.

Surveys are used to collect detailed feedback and predict future trends.

Feedback

Polls can be used to collect immediate feedback.

Surveys can be used to collect comprehensive feedback.

ncG1vNJzZmiolZm2oq2NnKamZ5Ses6ex0Z6lnJ1dl7K1w8SepWaon6G5bq3NnWSsraKrsrp7